Patient and Family Advisory Councils

Become a Patient or Family Advisor for WellSpan

At Wellspan Health, we value the opinions of our patients and their family members. In fact, we rely on their involvement to improve the care and service that we provide.

Patient and Family Advisors are volunteers who work together with staff and physicians to improve care and services at WellSpan. This could be a couple of patients who participate on a process improvement team or 12 patients and family members serving on an advisory council. It can be an initiative that brings patients and families together once or a series of meetings over several years. It can be an informal lunch or coffee klatch on a unit or in a practice where experiences are shared or it can be a formal council that reviews policies and program development. No matter what the approach, valuing the patient and family input can provide us with a better understanding of how to achieve an exceptional patient experience.

Ideal candidates will:

Be 18 years or older

Have an interest in improving the experience of care for others

Have a positive approach and ability to share and see different points of view

Be willing to share their personal experiences

Have good communication skills-ability to listen and articulate ideas well

Be able to collaborate with diverse individuals-cultural, racial, ethnic

WellSpan currently sponsors Patient and Family Advisory Councils in the following areas:

Adams Cancer Center Community Advisory Board

The ACC Community Advisory Board (CAB) is a group comprised of breast cancer survivors from the Adams County community. This council meets with caregivers, health care providers and administrators of WellSpan Health and works collaboratively to identify issues and processes which may need improvement in order to provide highest patient satisfaction and best care to breast cancer patients in Adams County.

What is required to be a CAB council member?

Diagnosis of breast cancer

Able to attend meetings approximately quarterly at the Adams Cancer Center, 40 V Twin Drive

Must agree to keep personal information discussed at meeting confidential

Able to listen to differing opinions and share different points of view

Be positive and support the group's mission

Be comfortable interacting with a group

Able to use own experience in a helpful way

Able to work together with council members whose background, experience, and style may be different than their own

Able to reflect on issues and priorities that are different than their own

What are the responsibilities of the Community Advisory Board members?

Reach out and listen to other patients, families, health care providers, and community members.

Be committed to improve care for all patients and family members.

Maintain confidentiality at the council meetings and outside the meetings.

Respect the collaborative process and the council as the forum to discuss issues.

Be willing to listen to differing views.

Encourage all council members to share ideas and viewpoints.

What is the time commitment for CAB members?

Approximately 90 minutes, three or four times a year, depending on the activities being undertaken. Meetings are held from 6 - 7:30 p.m. at the Adams Cancer Center with a light dinner included.

New CAB council members are asked to make a two-year commitment.

Behavioral Health Patient and Family Advisory Council

The Behavioral Health Patient and Family Advisory Council is a group of patients and families working together with hospital staff to improve the care and services at Wellspan Health.

The advisory council is a small group of patient and family members that have received care within our services over the last year. A vision, mission and purpose were developed by the council. The group works together to improve services and currently meets quarterly for one and a half hours. An agenda and meeting minutes are shared with all council members.

Our vision for the Wellspan Health BHSL Patient and Family Advisory Council is to provide excellent services in health care to the patient and family members we serve- each and every time for each and every patient. The mission of the council is to provide a work group for Behavioral Health Services and patient and family member's to discuss how to improve services and care

Patient and family experiences can help us improve care. We want to provide service that responds to your needs, focuses on you as the patient, and is cost-effective. Our goals are to look for ways we can improve quality of care and be the preferred choice for patients in need of our services. Providers and families are working together in new ways. This group work among patients, families, and professionals at all levels of care is essential to the practice of patient and family-centered care. Our council provides a special way to receive and respond to our patients' ideas.

As a team, we will work together toward shared goals. These may include; patient and family needs, working with staff to make changes that affect patients and families, assisting in the planning of patient programs, services, and policies.

If interested, please complete the information below to receive an application or call the Behavioral Health Administrative office at 717-851-2914. We look forward to hearing from you.

Cardiovascular Patient and Family Advisory Council

The Cardiovascular Patient and Family Advisory Council is a group of patients and families working together with hospital staff to improve the care and services at Wellspan Health.

The group consists of 12 patient and family members that have received care within our service line over the last year. A vision, mission and purpose were developed by the council and are currently supported by written Guiding Principles. The group elects officers, a president, vice president, and secretary and upon consensus of the group determined to meet monthly for one and a half hours. A monthly agenda is created and communication is disseminated electronically in the form of meeting minutes.

Our vision for the York Hospital CVSL Patient and Family Advisory Council is to provide services in health care that exceed the expectations of the patient and family members we serve, each and every time for each and every patient. The mission of the council is to provide a forum for Cardiovascular Services to represent and support patient and family member's perspectives and feedback in the coordination and delivery of cardiovascular health care.

Our purpose is guided by recognizing that patient and family involvement and expertise are integral to providing responsive care and to designing a delivery system that is responsive, patient-centered, and cost-effective. Our objectives are to look for opportunities for continuous improvement in quality of care and to be the preferred choice for patients in need of our services. As a result of a growing awareness, providers and families are collaborating in new ways. Collaboration among patients, families, and professionals at all levels of care is essential to the practice of patient and family-centered care. Our council provides a unique and effective mechanism for receiving and responding to consumer input.

If interested, please complete the information below to receive an application or call the Cardiovascular Administrative office at 717-851-4666. We look forward to hearing from you.

WellSpan Gettysburg Hospital Patient and Family Advisory Council

The WellSpan Gettysburg Hospital Patient and Family Advisory Council is a group of patients, family members, staff and health care providers. This council works together to improve the care and service we provide our patients.

Our goal at WellSpan Gettysburg Hospital is to provide excellent health care services to the patient and family members we serve- to each and every patient, every day, every time. The WellSpan Gettysburg Hospital Patient and Family Advisory Council is another way to create partnerships among the health care staff, patients and families. The council provides a place where patients and their families can share their experiences and help to improve our care for patients and families.

The WellSpan Gettysburg Hospital Patient and Family Advisory Council meets for an hour and a half on a bi-monthly basis. Our objectives are to:

Identify what is important to our patients and families,

Look for ways we can improve what we do

Provide ideas that help improve our services

Parkinson's Disease Patient & Family Advisory Council

Parkinson's disease impacts all areas of life. The Parkinson's disease Patient & Family Advisory Council works to identify and address the needs of the Parkinson's community and their families.

This group consists of 14 members; patients, family members, a coordinator, and a Medical Director (a movement disorder specialist). Together we created a vision and a mission statement that defines our purpose and intent. We meet monthly for one hour. Throughout the meeting, we discuss concerns and make plans to address them. An agenda is planned and meeting minutes are shared with the group.

The council looks at many different issues including:

Recognizing the special needs PD patients have when hospitalized, from Emergency Department to discharge

Specific rehabilitation needs of this patient population

Planning programs, activities education and the annual PD symposium

Raising public awareness of Parkinson's Disease and advocating for those effected by this disease

Working together with other departments, agencies and providers to raise the quality of life for the PD community

Developing resources for patients, their families, and other providers

Our purpose is to provide patient centered care that recognizes the specific needs of this population, and seeks to improve this care. We do this by including the patient and family, all types of care providers and the community. Our focus is from the Parkinson's patients' perspective. This provides insight to guide our efforts. Our hope is to exceed the expectations we set when we began in 2009.

If you are interested in participating, please complete the on-line application, or call WellSpan Neurosciences at 717-851-5503.

Patient Education Advisory Council

The Patient Education Advisory Council is a group of people without medical backgrounds who have volunteered to read patient education materials. They consider the language, content, and appearance to see if the material is "patient-friendly." Are the words easy to understand? Is it pleasing to look at and easy to find information? Patient education materials can contain medical jargon, confusing language, or unclear instructions. A "layperson's" insight is different than a medical professional and can be very helpful in revising content.

There are approximately 25 members of the council, including some people who have volunteered their children to review pediatric materials. When a new patient education handout is created, they receive a sample to review. They complete a short evaluation form and mail the packet back within two weeks with suggested changes. This helps to create patient education materials that will be useful to many people. The time commitment is minimal. Documents are only reviewed as needed and may not happen for months at a time.

We are not recruiting at this time.

WellSpan Trauma Patient and Family Advisory Council

The WellSpan Trauma Patient and Family Advisory Council is a group of committed patients, family members, and health care providers who work together to improve trauma care at WellSpan.

Our vision for the WellSpan Trauma Patient and Family Advisory Council is to provide the highest standard of patient and family-centered health care to all trauma patients. In order to achieve this, collaboration between providers, patients, and families is essential. Your input as advisors will help us improve trauma care now and in the future.

As a team, we will work together toward several goals. These include sharing of information about patient and family needs, working with staff to make changes that affect patients and families, assisting in the planning of new patient related programs, and serving as a resource to the health care team on a wide variety of patient related issues including program planning, services, and policies.

We are not recruiting at this time.

WellSpan York Hospital Imaging Patient Advisory Council

Many members of the community utilize imaging services for a variety of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Because patients do not typically have an ongoing relationship with imaging providers, as they do with their other caregivers, the Imaging council focuses more on patient experience.

Founded in September 2012, the WellSpan York Hospital Imaging Patient Advisory Council consists of 10 community members and five members of the WellSpan York Hospital Imaging management team. The council meets for 90 minutes each month, and the agenda can range from a guest speaker on a hospital program to the development or refinement of patient education materials. Each meeting generates minutes, and council milestones are documented.

The work of this group leads to:

Services that respond more effectively to our patients’ and their family members’ needs and priorities

A stronger competitive position in the market

Increased understanding and collaboration between patients, family and staff

Wiser use of health care resources

Exceeding the expectations of our consumers through outstanding service each and every time they receive care

Physician attendance and collaboration

Measuring progress through survey results and patient satisfaction

If you have used WellSpan York Hospital Imaging services at any of our nine locations and would like to be a part of an active, energetic team, please call (717) 812-3817 for more information.

Women and Children Services Patient and Family Advisory Council

The Women and Children Services Patient and Family Advisory Council a group of patients working together with healthcare staff to improve education for the expectant mother and her family in the office setting.

The group will include patients currently receiving obstetric care at York Women's Health Center and Adams County Women's Health. In addition staff from each obstetric office, , clinicians and administrators will join the meetings.

Members will meet monthly for a one hour lunch, provided by WellSpan. An agenda and materials for review will be delivered electronically at least a week before each meeting. Minutes from each meeting will be sent to the members to review what was discussed and any recommendations. Attendance for those members who cannot physically travel to the meeting will be possible through the use of video cam.

Our purpose is to create a valuable educational program for the expectant mother and family. Our patients and families can provide us with their ideas to improve education based on their experiences and needs. By seeing the experience through our patients' eyes, we can improve the partnership between obstetric offices and in-patient care. This will help us to provide effective prenatal and postpartum education.

If you are interested in joining us, please complete the information below. You will receive an application or call the Women and Children Outreach Coordinator at 812-3069. We look forward to hearing from you.

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About the provider search

This search will provide you with WellSpan Medical Group and Northern Lancaster County (Ephrata) Medical Group primary care physicians and specialists. If we don’t have a WellSpan Medical Group physician to meet your criteria, the search will expand to include community physicians who partner with WellSpan Medical Group physicians through the WellSpan Provider Network or provide care to patients on the Medical Staffs of WellSpan’s Hospitals.